We live in a time when confusion easily reigns in the world of boot designs and colorways, as brands continue to push boundaries with visually stunning releases. This also means mass bewilderment can ensue when a new colorway is released to market, fans wanting to know if they are a men’s or women’s release. Case in point this latest “Motion Blur” Mercurial Superfly that features a wild Hyper Pink upper and coincided with the release of this Racer Pink colorway.

Well, this featured pair is actually a women’s specific release. Over the past few years, Nike has pushed to create boots specifically designed to fit a women’s foot, in terms of shape and general depth. As a result, they are not a truly viable option for men’s players unless you know what size you are looking. But, since we have received a lot of feeback from male players about the design, below is what you need to know about them.

Upper Performance – Performance wise, one of the key features of the Superfly V is how all of the materials interlock to produce the most efficient package possible. A dynamic mid-cut collar secures foot to ankle, while the upper is a textured Flyknit material, with horizontal style speed ribs running across the upper for extra definition on the ball. The Flyknit “speed rib” offer a 3D textured feel, raised to provide friction between the upper and ball. These ribs range in thickness from 1 millimeter to 2.5 millimeters, giving you an idea of how much definition runs through the forefoot.

Soleplate + Traction – Underfoot, the new Mercurial’s anatomical plate is aligned with the natural contours of the foot, “eliminating the gap that previously existed underfoot”, according to Nike. If you look at the images of the sole above, you can see how the sole has different dimensions. The areas where there are a series of vertical lines is where the inside of the boot dips down, or the areas where Nike has grooved out the material. The toes also deep down along the front line of the forefoot. The traction system of the Mercurial has also been revamped for speed. For the first time, Nike Football leveraged virtual Finite Element Analysis (FEA) testing, which provided scientific data to identify which traction pattern works best for the speed-focused player, inclusive of linear sprints.

Men’s vs Women’s Sizing – This is an area where we have receive repeated questions over the past few weeks from guys that really want to own a pair. Even with its bright Pink look, it seems that a lot of male players really enjoy what they have on offer and need some help figuring out the fit and size.

First thing of note; the Superfly is the most snug fitting boot in the Nike line-up. Mercurial is built for speed and generally runs slightly narrow from midfoot through heel. If you need something with a wide fit, there are not a sufficient option.

The general rule of thumb is that women’s sizes are labelled 1.5 sizes above men’s. So, for example, if you are a size 9US men’s you would be looking at ordering a 10.5US women’s. That is a pretty close measurement, but it is not exact (per the graph below.) Rather than being a perfect like-for-like switch, each fit will sit as an in-between size, and thus the reason men’s and women’s sizes differ. If you were to order a 10US, it would likely fit just a little bit too tight, while ordering a 10.5US will likely give you a little bit extra space. But, it is a way smarter decision to go up a little extra bit and ensure they are not too tight.

The largest size currently available at soccer.com is a 12US, which equates as being somewhere close to a men’s size 10.5US. Note again that the Superfly series has a narrow fit, so they are intended to be snug on foot.

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